Minnesota Food Association

Program Description
The Minnesota Food Association is a statewide nonprofit organization that works to create a coalition of informed and connected urban and rural people to build a sustainable food system in Minnesota. In the past 20 years new immigrants have moved into Minnesota in increasing numbers. Many of these new residents are refugees, and are victims of violence and political upheaval in their homeland. Many have significant roots in agriculture, both as a means of providing food for the table and as a source of income. The New Immigrant Agriculture Project addresses economic, health, safety and nutrition concerns related to food production and agriculture for new immigrant residents in Minnesota. The New Immigrant Agriculture Project targets members of the Hmong, African and Latino communities, to help these new immigrants augment their household food needs and income through individual and community gardens, microfarming plots and small farms. The goal is that participating immigrant farmers will eventually have their own farms and will be involved in the mainstream of the agriculture in Minnesota.

Contact
Minnesota Food Association
New Immigrant Agriculture Project,
Alvaro Rivera. Director,
14220-B Ostlund Trail,
NorthMarine on St. Croix-May, MN 55047.
Phone: (651) 433-3676 Ext. 13
Fax: (651) 433-5050
Web: www.mnfoodassociation.org